924Superwagen

Hard to start a magazine for such a small market. Think of what Grassroots Motorsports had to go through to get it to where it is right now... that's even with a larger reader base. I one sense, we have our own magazine here, but sometimes it's hard to find all the info. Maybe an online-based magazine in pdf format is what we need? Not killing the dream, but providing alternate ideas...

testarossa_td

Ok, how about Rennlist gets involved, they make the money....and it is just a semi annual kind of thing...it could be like a year in review or something....

wombat7

I like the idea of an e-zine and I would be willing to do some writing for it. I'm by no means a journalism or english major but I write pretty well. I wouldn't be much help with the tech stuff as I have not gotten into anything big on my car yet, but other stuff I would be ok with..

BruceWard

Why not contact

Brian Minson (RAT9Q) p9magazine@yahoo.com
9 Magazine
P.O. Box 82996
Phoeix, AZ 85071-2996
United States
Phone: (602) 421-9229

and offer to take over 9 Magazine ( http://9magazine.com/ ). It has been months since an issue came out. From what I understand it is a good opportunity for someone to pick up a magazine and run with it. Bob "Flash" Larson has been the editor for a while but without issues a magazine is not much of a magazine.

If you were to make contact I suggest using the info above. It seems that all of the contacts on the website go straight to Flash.

theedge

If anything an e-zine is the way to go. Id be willing to try and contribute so howtos and such.

WizPorsche944

I'd subscribe

WolfeMacleod

I'd subscribe also, even to a paper print mag.

Tech articles would be great. Repairs, modifications, etc.
A "roads of the month" featuring nice twisties and scenic roads would be cool.

Perhaps, instead of doing a printed magazine, they could be CDROM or DVD - cheaper than printed paper.
If CDrom or DVD, VIDEO shots of repair procedures would be awesome.
But, it would be just as easy to do it on a website...exept for video downloads for dialup subscribers.

aeronautica86

I just don't really see this as being that great of an idea....I mean I love the 944 series, but there isn't really a huge following. There weren't really a whole lot of them made and now there are even fewer, so the owner base is pretty freaking small compared to just about any other car. Also, how much could you really write about these cars...most of the special 944s are pretty well known around here, as is the story behind them, I think you'd run out of material fairly quickly.

The reason magazines like 911 & Porsche World do well is that 911s have been around for decades and are still being produced so there is always new material, not to mention the fact that they have plenty of other street cars, race cars, races and R&D to talk about, as well as the fact that the magazine appeals to all Porsche enthusiasts in general, not just a certain sect of them...

Serge944

Novel idea, as Tifo said, but it's going to be difficult to turn out anything decent. It takes A LOT of work and the limited amount of subscribers will make it completely unworthwhile.

Besides, what would you put in it?

Don 944 LA

BTW, you can't call it " 944 "

there is already a 944 magazine. I pick one up for free every once in awhile @ blockbuster.
It's a San Diego / Vegas and some LA magazine. Pretty good rag too(for FREE). I Don't know why they called it 944.

http://944.com

They even have "The Stig's" girl on the cover this month.

Don

MoonBoy

The reason those mags do so well, not the only reason, is that the advertising is geared to an upscale audience. 944 owners are (usually) cash-strapped and don't have the money to drop on high ticket items. 911 owners(usually) have much more disposable income to spend on $8K brake upgrades, etc.

JimV8

You must be thinking of making a small fortune, Out of a big one. Unless you can find a benefactor you will have to make it by selling ads and thats quite a challenge for a small audience. Good luck though. I'll subscribe as long as the cost is reasonable.

UDPride

Ive always liked the idea of a magazine, especially a Porsche magazine that caters to a more generic audience. Not one thats only interested in telling people how to rebuild their tranny, but celebrating ownership, technology, innovation, history, racing stories, photography, etc. Think of an EVO magazine caters to Porsches.

But I dont think a 944 centered book can make it. The people with money who drive Porsches dont drive 944s. Thats the reality. They are driving Boxsters and new Carrera 4s. For advertising interest, youd need to cast your net wide enough to get any bites. Nobody is going to want to advertise to people who drive cars worth $4,000. Now, $40,000-$100,000 cars, then they will listen. Those are the people who will spend money. Rennlist is not a good indciator of the general Porsche owner. Most owners are 55yr old men who drive a Porsche because its cool and thats about all they know. It holds their golf bag. To them that was important.

I think you can get away with adding more 944 content to a general interest magazine, but any new magazine would need to be very very broad in scope in order to attract the widest readership.

I think the best way would be to take baby steps. Develop an e-zine if 16-32 pages and grow from there. Publish in PDF and distribute for free. Once you gauge reader interest, go after advertisers to front the costs. Then expand, revise, develop, improve, and begin selling to the public.

I cant imagine any magazine under a circulation under 20,000 having a snowballs chance of surviving if you are talking color, bound, bookshelf type magazine. I could be wrong on that.

daniel951

i think the whole idea about online magazine is a good idea since cost of production is free compared to printing. I would be happy with just that.

H2

Good idea, but don't exclude the 968.

Harvey